Rat-trap.



H. M. SPRAGUE.

RAT TRAP.

I APPLICATION FILED 0UT.26. 1911.

1,038,672, .1 Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

1,1 are 7 #19, 6%, dfiogwe n cm. WASHINGTON. D. c.

" jaws, and thus eliminate corner joints.

barman smrrns PATENT orrron HORACE M. SPRAGUE, 01? DENVER, COLORADO.

RAT-TRAP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE M. SrnAcUn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Rat-Trap, of which the following is a'specification.

This invention relates to improvements in traps for rats and like rodents.

The object of the invention is to provide a trap consisting of a pair of spring operated jaws which are mounted upon a common pivot which is vertically disposed, so that the jaws move on a horizontal plane, the trap being held open by a spring latch operated by a trip lever having a bait holder on its outer end. This objectis accomplished by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved trap showing the same closed, Fig. 2 is a central, horizontal, sectional view of the trap showing the same open or set, Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional View on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 4 is a side view ofa portion of a jaw, showing a slight modification in the arrangement of the trip lever, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the trip lever shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a perspective duced scale, of a portion of a trap, showing a modlficatlon 1n the character of the spring which operates the jaws.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Numerals 1 and 2 designate rectangular jaws, which are substantially in the form of shallow boxes or trays, the sides of which increase in width from each end and are widest at points near the rear ends of the aws.

The jaws may be made of any suitable sheet metal, but preferably of tin, and while the metal may be slit at the corners and properly bent to form the sides and ends, it is nevertheless preferable to stamp out (Sehe ne of the aws is made slightly narrower than the other, so that it will fit within the other jaw when the'jaws are closed as shown in Fig. 1.

The widest parts of the sides of the aws are apertured near the edges thereof, and

the jaws are arranged to fit one within the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 26, 1911.

Serial No. 656,873.

other, as shown by Fig. l. The jaws are hinged together by a pin 8, which is passed through the apertures in their side members, the jaws being first placed together so that the said apertures will register. By hinging the jaws in the manner shown, their front ends fit one within the other when the jaws are closed, while their rear ends stand apart, the opposite being the case when the trap is set, as shown by Fig. 2. An actuating spring 4, is mounted on the pin 3, between the jaws, the pin 3 being passed through the said spring at the time it is passed through the sides of the jaws to hinge them together. This spring is arranged as follows: A. piece of resilient wire is bent to form a semi-circular member 5, the ends of which terminate in oppositely extending coils 6, which are in axial line, and the coils terminate in strai ht portions 7, of suitable length. The semicircular member 5, and the straight portions 7 are brought under tension between the jaws as shown, so that the member 5 exerts an outward pressure against one jaw, while the straight portions 7 exert an outward pressure against the other jaw, and this pressure is exerted at the rear of the pivot pin 3, so that the jaws are normally held in closed relation.

The jaw 1, is slit to form a tongue 8, near its rear end, which is bent inward at right angles to the jaw and provided with a vertical slot 9. The rear end of the jaw is provided with a slot 10 in line with the slot 9, and these slots receive the opposite ends of a latch 11. This latch has oppositely extending abutment lugs 12, near its rear end, between which and the tongue 8 is interposed a coil spring 13, which surrounds the latch 11 and exerts a rearward pressure against the latch lugs 12. extends slightly beyond the end of the jaw 1, so as to enter and engage the edge of a slot 14, in the rear end of the jaw 2, when the trap is set, asshown by Fig. 2.

In order to trip the latch and allow the The rear end of the latch Patented Sept. 1'7, 1912.

' its spring 13, and its rear end enters the said slot 14, and holds the trapr open or set, as

and'lever, the lever being in such-positionthat the slot 17 in the abutment 165 is in,

line with the slot 9 in the tongue 8, and the slot 10 in the end of the jaw. The rear portion of the latch 11 passes through the slot 17 of the lever, and the lugs 12 on the latch bear against the abutment 16', as clearly shown in Fig. 3. In this arrangement of the lever the pivot pin 19 is below the latch, hence a downward pressure on the lever is Figs. 2' and 3, the forward end of the lever 15 terminates in a plate 23', the sides of which are upturned and bent toward each other. These upturned sides also converge toward the front end of the plate, thus inclosing a space between them which contracts in width toward its forward end, so that bait placed in the rear end of the holder will be held its conveiiging sides, and

any attempt on the part 0 a rat or other rodent either to eat or remove the 'bait will result in rocking the lever, thereby tripping the latch 11, which allows the jaws to spring together and entrap the rat.

' In setting the trap, the rear ends of the jaws'are pressed together, and as the end of the jaw 2 passes over theend of the jaw 1, the latch 11 is thereby retracted or moved forward until the slot l tof the jaw 2 registers with the rear end of the latch, when the said latch is instantaneously thrown by clearly shown by Fig. 2. he trap may be held open by the hand, orby placing any suitable object between the jaws, when the bait is being placed in the holder. The edge of the end of the jaw 2 in line with the slot 14, i

is outwardly bent a slight distance, as shown at 2st, so that when the jaws are pressed together in setting the trap, the edge of the end of the jaw 2 will not catch upon the a ch.

In Fig. 8 is illustrated a modification in the form of the jaw actuating spring. In

this arrangement a substantially semicircular spring 25' is employed, which is placed over the rear ends of the aws, with its ter' minal ends bearing against the said jaws,

and in order to prevent slipping of the.

spring, the jaws are indented, as shown at 2b, to receive the ends of the spring.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent'is: j i

1. In a trap as specified, the combination with a pair of jaws. hinged together adjam cent to theirrear ends, anda spring for normally holding their .forward ends in engagement, ofa means for holding the jaws open against the tensionof said spring, con

sisting of a spring'operated latch slidably .mounted upon one of said jaws. and projecting through its rear end, the end of the other jaw being provided with a slot toengage the projecting end of said latch, a trip lever pivotally secured tothe jaw adjacent w to thelatch, and having a member which engages the latch and retracts the same when the lever is rocked, and a bait holderon the forward end of the lever.

2. In a trap as specified, arectangular boxshaped jaw having a slot through its rear end, an ear on said jaw having a slot in line with the aforesaid slot, a latch supported insaid slots and extending beyond the rear end of the jaw, said latch having T lateral projections near its rear end, a coil spring interposed between the lateral projections and said car, a trip lever pivoted to the jaw, having a slotted abutment portion through which the rear end of the latch passes, and against which the lateral projections of the latch bear, and a bait holder on the forward end of the lever, a second jaw, a pin which passes through the sides of said jaws to unite them in hinged relation, n

and a spring on said pin which exerts an outward pressure on the jaws at the rear of the pivot pin, said second jaw having a slot in its rear end which engages the latch when the jaws are open.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature I in presence of two witnesses.

HORACE M. SPRAGUE.

. Witnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT,

ADELLA M. Fownn,

Copies of thispatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissio ner of Patents, 

